An analysis of the inevitability of war. As the Cold War fades, leaders and theorists alike speak of a new era, when democracy and open trade will join hands to banish outright war. Mearsheimer exposes the truth behind this rhetoric: in a world where no international authority reigns, hegemony is the only insurance of security
Introduction -- Anarchy and the Struggle for Power -- Wealth and Power -- The Primacy of Land Power -- Strategies for Survival -- Great Powers in Action -- The Offshore Balancers -- Balancing versus Buck-Passing -- The Causes of Great Power War -- Great Power Politics in the Twenty-first Century